improvements were made and others suggested. Bridges were built, roads constructed on the floor of the Valley, and trails laid out and finished to various points of interest overlooking the Valley itself. In a word, the Guardian did everything possible with the limited means at his disposal.

After serving twenty-four years, Mr. Clark voluntarily retired from the position of Guardian, carrying with him the respect and admiration of every member of the Commission, of all the residents of the Valley, and of every visitor who enjoyed the pleasure of his personal acquaintance.

As showing the opinion of those with whom Mr. Clark was intimately and officially associated for so long a time, the following resolutions passed by the Board of Commissioners upon his voluntary retirement from the office of Guardian, are herein given:

Whereas, Galen Clark has for a long number of years been closely identified with Yosemite Valley, and has for a considerable portion of that time been its Guardian; and

Whereas, he has now, by his own choice and will, relinquished the trust confided in him and retired into private life; and

Whereas, his faithful and eminent services as Guardian, his constant efforts to preserve, protect and enhance the beauties of Yosemite; his dignified, kindly and courteous demeanor to all who have come to see and enjoy its wonders, and his upright and noble life, deserve from us a fitting recognition and memorial; Now, Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the cordial assurance of the appreciation by this Commission of the efforts and labors of Galen Clark, as Guardian of Yosemite, in its behalf, be tendered and expressed to him.

That we recognize in him a faithful, efficient and worthy citizen and officer of this Commission and of the State; that he will be followed into his retirement by the sincerest and best wishes of this Commission, individually and as a body, for continued long life and constant happiness.

The subject of this sketch is one of the most modest of men; but perfectly self-reliant, and always actively engaged in some useful work. He has resided in the Valley for more than twenty summers, and has also been a resident during many winters, and his descriptions of the Valley, when wrapped in snow and ice, are intensely interesting. Though always ready to give information, he is naturally reticent, and never forces his stories or reminiscences upon visitors; indeed it requires some persuasion to hear him talk about himself at all.

For some years Mr. Clark was postmaster of Yosemite; and he has made many trips on foot, both in winter and summer, in and out of the Valley.

In September, 1903, this writer made a trip through the high Sierras from Yosemite, and, upon reaching the top of the Valley Mr. Clark was met coming down the trail, having in charge a party of his friends, amongst whom was a lady with her two small children. This was at a point 2700 feet above the floor of the Valley, which is itself 4000 feet above the level of the sea.

Needless to say, he is perfectly familiar with all the mountain trails, and, notwithstanding his great age, he easily makes long trips on foot and horseback which would fatigue a much younger man. Mr. Clark is thoroughly familiar with the flora, fauna and geology of the Valley and its surroundings. His knowledge of botany is particularly accurate, a knowledge gleaned partly from books, but mainly from close personal observation, the best possible teacher.

His long residence in Yosemite has made him familiar with every spot, his love for the Valley is deep and strong, and when he departs this life his remains will rest close to the Yosemite Falls, in the little grave yard where other pioneers are buried.

With his own hands he has dug his grave, and quarried his own tombstone from one of the massive blocks of granite found in the immediate neighborhood. His monument now rests in his grave, and when it is removed to receive his remains, will be used to mark his last resting place. His grave is surrounded by a neat fence, and trees, shrubs and vines, which he has himself planted, grow around in great profusion. In each corner of the lot is a young Sequoia.

May it be many years before he is called to occupy his last earthly tenement.

W.W. FOOTE.

San Francisco, February, 1904.

INDIANS OF THE YOSEMITE

Chapter One.

EARLY HISTORY.

During the past few years a rapidly growing interest in the native Indians has been manifested by a large majority of visitors to the Yosemite Valley. They have evinced a great desire to see them in their rudely constructed summer camps, and to purchase some articles of their artistic basket and bead work, to take away as highly prized souvenirs.

They are also anxious to learn something of their former modes of life, habits and domestic industries, before their original tribal relations were ruthlessly broken up by the sudden advent of the white population of gold miners and others in 1850, and the subsequent war, in which the Indians were defeated, and, as a result, nearly exterminated.

ORIGIN OF THE YOSEMITE INDIANS.

According to statements made by Teneiya (Ten-eye´-ya) [see footnote] chief of the Yosemites, to Dr. L.H. Bunnell, and published by him in his book on the "Discovery of the Yosemite", the original Indian name of the Valley was Ah-wah´-nee, which has been translated as "deep grassy valley", and the Indians living there were called Ah-wah-nee´-chees, which signified "dwellers in Ah-wah´-nee."

Many years ago, the old chief said, the Ah-wah-nee´-chees had been a large and powerful tribe, but by reason of wars and a fatal black sickness, nearly all had been destroyed, and the survivors of the band fled from the Valley and joined other tribes.

Photograph by Fiske.

YOSEMITE FALLS (CHO´-LACK), 2,634 Feet.

For years afterwards this locality was uninhabited, but finally Teneiya, who claimed to be descended from an Ah-wah-nee´-chee chief, left the Mo´nos, where he had born and brought up, and, gathering of his father's old tribe around him, visited the Valley and claimed it as the birthright of his people. He then became the founder of a new tribe or band, which received the name "Yo-sem´-i-te." This word signifies a full-grown grizzly bear, and Teneiya said that the name had been given to his band because they occupied the mountains and valley which were the favorite resort of the grizzly bears, and his people were expert in killing them; that his tribe had adopted the name because those who had bestowed it were afraid of the grizzlies, and also feared his band.

The Yosemites were perhaps the most warlike of any of the tribes in this part of the Sierra Nevada